Programme

NARRATIVE PRACTITIONERS FORUM Day 1 – Sept 6th 2010

Day 1 is a closed forum for the speakers and case presenters from the main conference to share their work and techniques, and explore themes and issues relating to narrative practice in the Asia Pacific region.

BUSINESS NARRATIVE CONFERENCE Day 2 – Sept 7th 2010

9-9.30am “Welcome to Country”

Rosemarie Somaiah, Asian Storytelling Network – a story-based introduction to give insight into both Singapore and the theme of the conference

9.30-10.30am Keynote

Victoria Ward, Sparknow – “Experience, Vividness and Energy: Stories in Organisations”

In this keynote, Victoria will introduce three powerful ways of using story in organisations:

• for rich knowledge transfer and culture-building – to make spaces for communicating felt experiences and learning;
• for ensuring that policy-making is grounded in a lived reality – to bring vividness and life to organisational things;
• for connecting practice with strategy -  to bring the energy of the field to the heart of the organisation.

Spaces for felt experiences and learning: In Their Shoes

In Their Shoes is a practical four-step story method devised by Sparknow for Internal Communications for a major UK logistics and communications organisation. It uses a physical exploration of people’s stories and assumptions about change – by literally standing participants in the shoes of the manager and those of frontline staff members and experiencing the size of the gap between what’s being said and what’s being heard. Victoria will talk about the design and evolution of the approach and how it’s taken hold inside the client.

Vividness and life: Audit Commission, business narrative research

Over six months from 2009 to 2010, Sparknow ran a workshop and interview series alongside a multi-case research project looking into strategic financial leadership and governance in Councils across England. We were to surface the hidden and untold stories about leadership, prioritisation, allocation of resources, handling conflict, and preparing for a tighter financial situation; Sparknow identified stories to be used as quiet teaching stories to enhance understanding and motivate action. Victoria will share with you the design of the events, the analytical approach, and some insight into the way her team’s make-up (the researcher, the curator and the communicator) contributed to the results.

Connecting practice with strategy: Islamic Development Bank, bringing the energy of the field to the heart of the organisation

Victoria will end by sharing the experience of three story competitions run by the Islamic Development Bank following on from a knowledge framework that identified the role of stories in reconnecting policy and practice so that the Bank might live out its mission better.

10.30-11.00am NETWORKING BREAK

11.00am-12.45pm Stories in Action: Case Study Café

Participants will hear about case studies from twelve narrative practitioners from the Asia Pacific region, and participate in round-table discussions with the case presenters. Case studies confirmed so far are:

SINGAPORE

• Angelina Seah, Cognitive Edge – using narrative techniques for employee engagement in Singapore
• Cecilia Chia, Ritz Carlton-Millenia Singapore – storytelling in the Daily Line-Up process as a highly effective way to align 35,000 employees worldwide around the Ritz Carlton’s service culture
• Lt. Col. Karuna Ramanathan, Singapore Armed Forces - storytelling for leadership development in the Singapore Armed Forces

PHILIPPINES

• Olivier Serrat, Asian Development Bank – using stories to humanise a corporate culture, give context to its knowledge assets, and build a “living history” at the Asian Development Bank

THAILAND

• Chet Chetsandtikhun, Siamentis – using stories to promote the volunteer spirit in Thailand

AUSTRALIA

• David Drake, Center for Narrative Coaching – using story listening to retune a change initiative at Nike
• Nerida Hart, HartKnowledge Consulting – using narrative techniques for evaluation – demonstrating the ROI of an information service
• Moya Sayer-Jones, Only Human Communications – how the collection and publication of stories galvanised interest in the work of Regional Arts Australia, and gave insights into stakeholder relations

UNITED STATES

• Terrence Gargiulo, Making Stories – using story techniques to help build a unified global IT group at General Motors

SOUTH AFRICA

• Chris Burman, University of Limpopo – using narrative  techniques to evaluate the impact of a HIV/AIDS prevention programme among young men in South Africa

12.45-1.45pm LUNCH - participants sign up for the Techniques Marketplace (below)

1.45-3.15pm Techniques Marketplace

Case presenters teach a technique (eg from their case study) in small groups; participants join the sessions they are most interested in. The session will also be used to compile a “Narrative Techniques” guidebook which will be made available to participants after the conference.

3.15-3.45pm NETWORKING BREAK

3.45-4.45pm Story Slam

A Story Slam is a storytelling competition where any conference participants (maximum of 10) can sign up to tell a story in less than five minutes on the theme “Surviving in adversity”. A panel of five conference participants will judge the stories and declare a winner. It’s fun, hones storytelling skills, and builds energy and bonding!

4.45-5.30pm Insights and Ideas from Origins 2010

The day will end with a conference dialogue involving the participants, to draw out issues, themes and calls for action from the day’s proceedings – facilitated by Shawn Callahan and Patrick Lambe.

NARRATIVE WORKSHOPS Day 3 – Sept 8th 2010

Participants will be able to sign up for half-day workshops led by conference speakers on practical storytelling techniques and the use of narrative approaches in organisations.

Morning Workshops:

• Shawn Callahan, Anecdote: Practical Techniques for Story Elicitation for use in understanding culture, identifying leverage points for change, and sparking action
• Sandra Baigel, Voice & Word: Vocal Techniques for Powerful Storytelling
• David Drake, Center for Narrative Coaching: Working with Stories in the Present Moment to Facilitate Change

Afternoon Workshops:

• Victoria Ward, Sparknow: In Their Shoes – the four step method referenced in the conference keynote for using story techniques to imagine and transform the workplace
• Terrence Gargiulo, Making Stories: Awakening People’s Story Capacity for Performance
• Patrick Lambe, Straits Knowledge: Producing and Working with Archetypes from an organisation’s stories to “read” the culture and identify change opportunities and barriers

Download the full Origins Conference brochure here